Page 55 of Knot Gonna Lie

Stella pushed off the wall. “I’ll help.”

Nova blinked, shock painting her features. “What?”

“You heard me.” Stella holstered her psyblade. “Finding and vetting an alpha willing to take a mated omega-gamma pair? That’s just another kind of hunt. And I’m very good at hunting.”

“By the Stars we are,” Syla added, stepping in close, his arm slipping around his mate’s waist.

“Between all our contacts—” Maia offered, already calculating.

“The trade routes we run,” Tobias added with growing enthusiasm. “The ports we know. There must be someone willing to take you both in.”

“We’ll find someone,” Xavier finished. “Planet Tera’s crawling with alphas looking for a chance for stability and willing to trade anything for it.”

Warmth swelled in my chest. My clan. My family. Rallying behind strangers because it was the right thing to do. Nova was Jaxom’s little sister. Our omega no longer felt threatened by their presence—but that didn’t mean I was stupid enough to welcome them onto my ship.

Elara came first. Always. But I wouldn’t stop my clan from stepping up for another omega in trouble. We all knew how broken the system was—and those two didn’t stand a chance of getting out together without help.

“It’d give us something to focus on during…” Stella flicked a glance at Elara, one brow lifting.

“While biology does its thing,” Xavier said, flashing a grin like he knew exactly how awkward that sounded—and enjoyed every second of it.

I nodded. “And it builds our network. If we want change, it’s going to start with connections. With people willing to bend the rules.”

“Revolution through commerce,” Jenna said, approval slipping into her voice. “I like it.”

Nova stared at us all, tears shimmering in her eyes. “You’d really do this? For us?”

“We know enough,” Elara said, stepping away from us to cross to Nova. “We know you love each other. That’s enough to help you get away from the station.”

She opened her arms, and Nova didn’t hesitate—two omegas embracing despite every territorial instinct. No posturing. Just shared survival. My omega, already rewriting rules through compassion, proving her inner strength to do the right thing.

Pride settled deep in my chest, heavy and steady.

“I’m sorry,” Nova whispered against Elara’s shoulder. “I never meant to cause problems—”

“You didn’t.” Elara pulled back, cupping Nova’s face with hands that had wielded glass shards hours ago. “You showed me what courage looks like. What choosing love over safety means. My clan will help you become free. Both of you.”

Nova nodded, then turned to embrace her brother—fourteen years of separation ending in tears that tasted of regret and promise in equal measure. “I’ll contact you once we’re free. I want my brother back.”

“You have him.” Jaxom’s voice was rough with emotion that made my own throat tight. “Always have.”

As they prepared to leave, Nova paused at the threshold, Alleria’s hand finding hers. “We owe you—”

“You owe us nothing,” I said, raising my chin, daring them to challenge me. “Except to survive until we find you someone.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

ELARA

The cargo bay felt too big and too small all at once, thick with everything Quinn and I weren’t saying.

The words sat there, heavy and waiting. Saying them would make it real. And neither of us were ready for that.

She stood near the loading ramp, her uniform pristine as always, but I caught the tremor in her hands as she clutched her vidtablet. Her partner, Jenna, lingered a few steps below, deliberately distant, offering the illusion of privacy.

Twelve years.

Twelve years of her steady presence, her morning dew scent, her quiet strength keeping me anchored when the station’s walls felt like they were closing in. And now the door to freedom was open—and she couldn’t follow.